Chess
Forum

Web
Edition

NEWS

FEATURES

ENTERTAINMENT

COLUMNS

CONTACT
US

HOW
TO SUBMIT

BACK
ISSUES

By
Chad Lieberman

A chess player should never
underestimate the power of a strong tactician. Having an ability
to recognize tactical situations is a priceless tool to have
in your chess arsenal. Exhaustively knowing tactics can pull you
out of a strategic jam or even save a completely losing game.

How
does one develop this faculty of tactical recognition? As with
other subjects of study, there are several ways to do this.
You must find the method that is most effective for you. Some
people will choose to solve hundreds or even thousands of tactical
puzzles and others prefer to create their own. Whatever works,
you must internalize the tactics.

A great way to do this
is to create a pocket-sized book of diagrams and puzzles. Whenever
you have a free moment, you can spend several minutes studying
these themes. This will allow you to fully grasp the geometry behind
the position and then recognize similar instances in future games.

Another
great way to learn how tactics come about in real game situations
is to study the games of the grandmaster tacticians that preceded
us. My favorite is Mikhail Tal.

This week's game was
played in the Candidates Tournament in Bled in 1965 against
the famous Bent Larsen. These two players put on a tactical fireworks
display.

Good luck on your tactical endeavors and please
never forget the undeniable truth: tactics win games.